Industry Expert Project
More than ever before, it has become more apparent the influence money has on the sports industry, as those with higher incomes have greater power in sports. As the price of sports continues to go up, sports have become more of a luxury rather than a “equalizer [that] transcends issues of money, power and economic inequalities.” (Coakley 2017, 296) This has created a major dilemma in the industry, as the increase in price has lessened individuals' access, and serves as an example of class relations and economic inequalities. Particularly in sports like golf, with its expensive equipment, clothing, and membership fees, a large demographic of its participants are those in high-income social classes. Although the sport of golf has become more inclusive in recent years because of brands like TopGolf that have created a way for the game to be easily accessible; however, golf as a whole continues to be largely participated by the upper class, and serves as an example of the decrease in sports accessibility in America.
Originating from Scotland, golf has historically served as a symbol of class status and class separation. Participants of the sport are typically from high income households, as only they can afford all the “spending [that] is devoted to expensive equipment training, traveling…, pay substantial amounts for access to golf courses. Hence, the pricing of golf courses is a highly relevant issue with regard to golf participation and the functioning of the golf market in general.” (Huth, Kurscheidt 2019, Pg. 332) Although golf is not as popular as American football, basketball, or baseball; however, it is a great differentiator between social classes, as “American golf [is] a game for the cultured and wealthy members of society.”
(Ceron-Anaya 2010, Pg. 350) Golf was quickly adapted into American high class society, as the sport offered “perceptions of moral superiority…[allowing] players to exhibit their wealth…[and reinforce] the status of those social groups linked to golf” in private country clubs. (Ceron-Anaya 2010, Pg. 350) Unlike other sports, golf is not a sport that anyone can participate in, but restricted by the amount of capital an individual has. This can be seen by the creation of private country clubs, as these institutions purposely privatize courses so as to allow “the game [to be] played in spaces physically and socially delimited, [resembling] aristocratic private gardens, and thereby offered golferes the illusion of an honorable lifestyle.” (Ceron-Anaya 2010, Pg. 345-346) The economic inequalities that are inside of “the sport permitted affluent groups to exhibit the vast amount of economic and social capital they had accumulated…[allowing] golfers to detach from the lower sectors, and move closer to the upper echelons of society.” (Ceron-Anaya 2010, Pg. 346)
Along with the economic inequalities that are present, the sport fails to attract the participation of low income communities, creating a pattern of exclusion and underrepresentation of different minority groups. As mentioned before, golf is not economically inclusive, because of this many low income groups are unable to pay the large fees, discouraging any attempt to participate in the sport. Sports are much more of a luxury and demand a lot of economic sacrifice to participate. Rather than pay the high green fees, the expensive equipment and clothing, and the facilities, individuals choose to participate in sports like basketball that can be played anywhere, and only require a basketball to play. It is this economic inequality contributes to the social stratification of certain social classes, creating class restrictive sports, and limitations to social mobility. Furthermore, black athletes are greatly underrepresented in the sport of golf, as the sport lacks affordable “facilities, and the presence of institutionalized discrimination and racism prevent many Blacks from participating in some sports, forcing them to aggregate their numbers in those sports where these barriers are not present and where are housed in public facilities and are subsidized by public funding.” (Sailes 1991, Pg. 480) Hence why you do not see many stories of social mobility in the game of golf.
The sport of golf has changed in recent years, becoming much more accessible because of brands like TopGolf, which offers large groups of people the chance to experience the sport without having to worry about the large economic sacrifice. By delivering memorable experiences to its clientele, TopGolf is able to expand the impact of the sport to different social classes, with the promise to provide meaningful experiences that spawns inclusivity in the sport. The brand removes any meritocracy, or any distinction of social class, and just focuses on providing a fun experience through golf. In doing so it introduces golf to different communities, and setting the foundation for future participation in the sport. Simultaneously, golf has been able to increase its overall engagement thanks to the release of Netflix docu-series Full Swing, taking viewers behind the scenes of professional golfers’ lives on and off the course. Similar to the impact Netflix's other sports docu-series Drive to Survive had on the popularity of F1 in the U.S., Full Swing has resulted in increased viewership in professional golf, as “42 percent [of Full Swing viewers] spend more time watching pro golf on TV after watching Full Swing.” (Myers 2023) However, even with its substantial increase in following, the sport of golf continues to be an example on how sports participation is limited by the amount of money, as not everyone can pay the fees that come with engaging with the sport.
Taking everything into account, this topic is as important as ever in the overall history of sports in America. The high prices that are associated with sports today have reduced general engagement, restricting involvement to only those who can afford it. So as sports continue to become even more expensive, as families are unable to pay for their children to play in pay-to-play youth leagues, or purchase tickets to see their desired sporting event, or even unable to pay the multiple streaming services that offer selected sports leagues - sports will only be available for those that can pay it.
Work Cited:
Coakley, Jay. Sports in Society: Issues and Controversies. Available from: University of Texas at Austin, (13th Edition). McGraw-Hill Higher Education (US), 2020.
Huth, Christopher, and Markus Kurscheidt. “Membership versus Green Fee Pricing for Golf Courses: The Impact of Market and Golf Club Determinants.” European Sport Management Quarterly, vol. 19, no. 3, 2019, pp. 331–52, https://doi.org/10.1080/16184742.2018.1527380.
Ceron-Anaya, Hugo. “An Approach to the History of Golf: Business, Symbolic Capital, and Technologies of the Self.” Journal of Sport and Social Issues, vol. 34, no. 3, 2010, pp. 339–58, https://doi.org/10.1177/0193723510377317.
Sailes, Gary A. “The Myth of Black Sports Supremacy.” Journal of Black Studies, vol. 21, no. 4, 1991, pp. 480–87, https://doi.org/10.1177/002193479102100407.
Myers, Alex. “Netflix’s ‘Full Swing’ Is Already Having a Huge Impact on PGA Tour TV Numbers.” GolfDigest.Com, GolfDigest, 6 Sept. 2023, www.golfdigest.com/story/netflix-full-swing-huge-impact-pga-tour-tv-numbers.
Franco A. Estrada (fae345)
Dr. Emalee Nelson
KIN 312
24 May 2025